Malcolm Rivera
The Indian Constitution is the supreme legal document of India and is the world's longest written national constitution for a sovereign nation. The Constituent Assembly of India, which was partly elected and partly nominated, was responsible for framing the constitution. The chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India was Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, also known as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. The constitution was drafted over a period of almost three years, with eleven sessions held over 165 days.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date founded | 9 December 1946 |
| Date disbanded | 26 January 1950 |
| Number of seats | 389 |
| Number of seats occupied by Indian National Congress | 208 |
| Number of seats occupied by All India Muslim League | 73 |
| Number of seats occupied by Princely States | 93 |
| Number of seats occupied by representatives of the provinces | 292 |
| Number of seats occupied by representatives of chief commissioner provinces | 4 |
| Temporary President | Sachchidananda Sinha |
| Permanent Chairman | Rajendra Prasad |
| Chairman of the Drafting Committee | Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar) |
| Date final draft of the Indian Constitution presented | 25 November 1949 |
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What You'll Learn
- The chairman of the Constituent Assembly of India became the first president of the Republic of India
- The Constituent Assembly was partly elected and partly nominated
- The Assembly was founded on 9 December 1946
- The Constituent Assembly of India was conceived and created by V. K. Krishna Menon
- The chairman of the Drafting Committee was the only person to establish the Indian Constitution
The chairman of the Constituent Assembly of India became the first president of the Republic of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was established on 9 December 1946, with the aim of drafting a constitution for an independent India, which would be formed on 15 August 1947. The Assembly was partly elected and partly nominated, with its members serving as the Provisional Parliament after independence. The Assembly was founded by V. K. Krishna Menon, who first outlined its necessity in 1933, and it was later demanded by the Indian National Congress in 1936 and C. Rajagopalachari in 1939. The Assembly's structure consisted of 389 seats, with 208 members from the Indian National Congress, 73 from the All India Muslim League, and 93 from Princely States.
The Chairman of the Constituent Assembly of India was Dr. Rajendra Prasad. He was also the President of the Constituent Assembly, with Sachchidananda Sinha serving as the temporary president before him. Notably, Prasad became the first President of the Republic of India in 1950, after the Constituent Assembly was disbanded on 26 January 1950.
The drafting of the Indian Constitution was a significant undertaking, with the final draft presented to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly, on 25 November 1949, by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. Ambedkar is often regarded as the only person who established the Indian Constitution, and the drafting process involved discussing, disposing of, and moving numerous amendments. The Constituent Assembly played a crucial role in shaping the foundation of independent India, and the completion of the Constitution marked a significant milestone in the country's history.
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The Constituent Assembly was partly elected and partly nominated
The Constituent Assembly of India was founded on 9 December 1946, with the aim of framing the constitution for an independent India, which would be formed on 15 August 1947. The Constituent Assembly was a partly elected and partly nominated body. It was elected by the Provincial Assemblies of British India following the Provincial Assembly elections held in 1946 and nominated by princely states. The total membership of the Constituent Assembly was 389, with 292 representatives from provinces, 4 from chief commissioner provinces, and 93 from princely states. The members were elected by a system of single transferable voting and consisted of different committees.
The Congress Party held a large majority in the Assembly (69% of the seats), and the Muslim League held nearly all the seats reserved for Muslims. There were also members of smaller parties, such as the Scheduled Caste Federation, the Communist Party of India, and the Unionist Party. The Muslim League boycotted the meeting demanding a separate state, and as a result of the partition, a separate Constituent Assembly was set up for Pakistan. The membership of the Assembly was reduced to 299, with 229 members elected from 12 Indian provinces and 70 members nominated from 29 princely states.
The drafting committee, the most important committee, was headed by Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who is often regarded as the chairman of the Constituent Assembly. However, the permanent chairman of the Assembly was Dr Rajendra Prasad, who later became the first president of India.
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The Assembly was founded on 9 December 1946
The Constituent Assembly of India was founded on 9 December 1946, with the aim to frame the constitution for an independent India, which would be formed on 15 August 1947. The Assembly was a partly elected and partly nominated body, with 389 members in total. The members were elected by the Provincial Assemblies of British India following the Provincial Assembly elections held in 1946, and nominated by princely states. The Muslim League boycotted the meeting, demanding a separate state. The Assembly was also conceived as a ''Provisional Parliament' after India gained independence from the British in 1947.
The structure of the Constituent Assembly was as follows: 292 members represented the provinces, 93 represented the princely states, and 4 were from the chief commissioner provinces of Delhi, Ajmer-Merwara, Coorg, and British Baluchistan. The Indian National Congress held 208 seats, and the All India Muslim League held 73 seats. The members were elected by a single transferable voting system and consisted of different committees.
The most important committee was the drafting committee, which was headed by Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar). He is often regarded as the only person who established the Indian Constitution. The committee also included the constitutional advisor, B. N. Rau, who was appointed on 11 July 1946. The drafting committee was established on 20 August 1947 and took approximately 11 months, 17 days, and 2 years to prepare the final draft of the Constitution.
On 25 November 1949, the final draft of the Indian Constitution was presented to Dr Rajendra Prasad, the President of the Constituent Assembly. Prasad was initially the vice-chairman of the Constituent Assembly, serving under temporary president Sachchidananda Sinha. He later became the permanent Chairman of the Assembly and, eventually, India's first president.
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The Constituent Assembly of India was conceived and created by V. K. Krishna Menon
The Constituent Assembly of India was a pivotal body in shaping the nation's constitution and played a crucial role in enacting and influencing the creation of numerous laws. The Assembly was a partly elected and partly nominated body, with its members serving as the nation's Provisional Parliament after independence from the British in August 1947. The members of the Constituent Assembly were responsible for crafting the constitution, a task that took almost three years, from 1946 to 1949. They carefully deliberated on various parts of the constitution, including fundamental rights, the structure of the government, and the distribution of power. The Assembly's famous midnight session on August 14-15, 1947, marked India's move towards independence.
Menon held various political roles in India, including serving as a minister without portfolio and later as the Minister of Defence. He oversaw significant developments in the Indian military and military-industrial infrastructure. Unfortunately, he resigned from this position following allegations of India's military unpreparedness during the Sino-Indian War. Despite this, he remained a counselor to Nehru and an elder statesman until his death. Menon also had a legal career, focusing on Labour matters, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1953 and later sought a seat in the Lok Sabha in 1957.
The Constituent Assembly of India, founded on December 9, 1946, had 389 members, including prominent figures such as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and Sarojini Naidu. The Assembly's first meeting took place in New Delhi, in the Constitution Hall, now known as the Central Hall of Parliament House. The atmosphere was vibrant and celebratory, with elegant decorations and bright lamps, and a semi-circular seating arrangement for the members. The Assembly's last session was held on January 24, 1950, and the Constitution of India, with 395 articles, 8 schedules, and 22 parts, was signed and accepted on January 26, 1950, marking the country's transition to a republic.
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The chairman of the Drafting Committee was the only person to establish the Indian Constitution
The Indian Constitution was the result of a long and complex process, involving many individuals and groups. The Constituent Assembly of India, established in 1946, was tasked with framing the constitution. This assembly was made up of members elected by provincial assemblies and representatives of princely states.
The Constituent Assembly played a crucial role, but it was the Drafting Committee, led by its chairman, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar), that was responsible for preparing and presenting the final draft of the constitution. Ambedkar is often regarded as the key figure in establishing the Indian Constitution. He presented the final draft to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly, on 25 November 1949.
Ambedkar's role as chairman of the Drafting Committee was significant. The committee was established on 20 August 1947, with the specific task of drafting the constitution. Ambedkar worked alongside other members of the committee, including the Constitutional Advisor, B. N. Rau. The committee deliberated on a total of 7,635 amendments, of which 2,473 were disposed of, and the process took approximately two years to complete.
While Ambedkar is recognised as the key figure in establishing the Indian Constitution, it is important to acknowledge the broader context and contributions of others. The Constituent Assembly, with its diverse membership, provided a platform for debate and representation. The process was influenced by political differences and criticisms regarding the selection of the Assembly members, with some arguing that the Indian people had little say in the making of the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The chairman of the Constituent Assembly of India was Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
Yes, Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first president of India in 1950.
The chairman of the Drafting Committee was Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, also known as Babasaheb.
The Constituent Assembly of India was founded on 9 December 1946, with the aim to frame the constitution for the country after independence from Britain, which was achieved on 15 August 1947.
The total membership of the Constituent Assembly was 389, with 292 representatives from provinces, 4 from chief commissioner provinces, and 93 from princely states.
